GamJams Reviews: Arm and Leg Warmers - Hincapie

Almost 4 years ago I picked up a set of the heavy fleece Hincapie arm and leg warmers. Excellent pieces for sure. While building on my cycling gear collection they provided me with tons of options with my limited gear. These have good soft fleece on the inside, block wind well and are plenty soft on the outside as well. The grippers at the top are the rubberized strip you see on my shorts and worked well for a while. They've since gotten a bit less "grabby" though my arms may just be getting smaller... The leg warmers include a four or five inch zipper at the ankles for easier removal over shoes and what not.


After a small color screw up with Hincapie on the Racing Union team kit order, Hincapie proceeded to send us each a pair of their lighter weight arm warmers, which they printed up in the style of our team kit... SWEET! These are just like the heavier pair just with a lighter shell and fleece lining making them perfect for early fall and later spring riding. Better yet, Hincapie cared enough about the minor flap in the clothing order that they did this for us. A much better business model then Giordana which missed items in our order (including my wind vest) and then is unwilling to do anything about it. From what I can tell they are also very difficult to deal with in general. I have a vote for next year's team kit...


Knee warmers... don't have any. I'm a big fan of knickers which I tend to roll with when it's too warm for the heavy leg warmers but cold enough for knee coverage. Eventually I ought to get a pair, presumably they'll be Hincapie as well.

The custom arm warmers make an appearance at the inaugural DCCX in 2007.

Gam Jams Review - Winter Socks - DeFeat Woolie Boolies

This one is easy... Defeat, Woolies Boolies (preferably with GamJams on the ankle) any way you slice it.

GamJams Review: Coffee

I've said before I like the 53x11 coffees I've had. They're a bit pricey for me to use as my daily grinds, but for the special occassion brew they really do the trick!

Generally I stick to my cheap 8 O'Clock variety. I've got a (gasp!) blade grinder and a coffee press (and I don't mind the little bit of sludge or occassional bits of ground coffee that seep through) and that pretty much does the trick. Lately I've been using the Dark Italian Roast to make a super strong cup of coffee; for the really tough days...

I will never be a coffee snob.

GamJams Review: New Favorite - Montrail Highlander trail shoes

If you've been reading my occasional posts or tuning in to my training log lately you probably have already noticed this. My new favorite gear is the Montrail Highlanders I picked up off S&C a few months back. Not exactly the cycling specific gear that GamJams would typically feature. However, I'd argue the merits of cross training for cycling by using running (and more specifically trail running) to strengthen a different set of muscles, prepare for cross season and just to get out of the saddle at a time when many cyclists could easily risk burn out after a long season.


So, as I've said before, my new favorite are my new(ish) kicks. Oh and the Woolie Boolie socks to go with them; which I have a feeling may be the best thing to hit my winter cycling since lobster mitts.

GamJams Reviews: Headlights - Light and Motion Stella 200N

I haven't done one of these for a while since the topics are either something I don't use or something I don't really have experience with or an opinion on. This week I feel like I have a little bit to put out on the table.

For last year's Leesburg Baker's Dozen and 24 Hours of Big Bear I had a pretty horrendous lighting situation (in retrospect). I was using a cheap 10 watt Performance brand light taped to my helmet along with a big clunky NightRider road rat on the handle bars. Neither light was particularly bright or long lasting, adjustability was nonexistent and generally these lights served simply to get me home safely but quite slowly. For general commuting purposes these lights worked just fine, enough light to see and be seen and with both at under $100, relatively affordable.

This year I knew I needed more for the racing since I was likely to be racing quite a bit harder then last season. I ended up getting the Light and Motion Stella 200N a small but powerful little light. The retail price was about $180 so it was more then my other two lights but still way less then a lot of the other big time lights that are available out there. Turned out I made the right choice.


The light output is substantially better then the other two combined and allows me to easily run just the one light on my helmet with plenty of light to see what I need to see. In the future I may pick up another to mount to the handlebars for the dual light setup but for now I never really felt held back with the one. The Stella comes with a helmet mount and a simple clasp closure that makes it easy to throw on with bars with no tools or additional mounting pieces necessary. That also means it'd be easy to switch between the commuter and the mountain bike (or whatever other bike you want it on) without having to move any mounting brackets or anything.

One of the most impressive things about this light is the run time. At the highest output the stated run time is 5 hours! So far I have not ridden through the battery including a few rides of 1-2 hours without a charge in between. So, unless you'll be out for a full night of riding the Stella should be able to light your way with no problems.

My single complaint about this light goes right along with my praises for it. While the mounting clasp is great with it's ease of use and overall accessibility, it can also cause problems in certain situations. Since it essentially uses a rubber strip wrapped around a bar the light can rotate up or down around the bar fairly easily. This was never a problem on it's own, even over the extremely rough terrain at the 24 Hours of Big Bear. Low hanging branches however can cause a serious scare.

I believe it was a night ride at Rosaryville wear I found this out. In one corner of the inner loop there is some overhanging vegetation you generally have to duck under. On one of the MORE night rides The branches caught the light and whipped it straight up and I was suddenly without a light in a near 180 degree turn with who knows what coming up. I made it out of it that time ok but I could see how that could have turned out pretty nasty.

A second bar mount light could probably save me there and with the brightness, longevity and ease of use I get with the Stella I'm more then satisfied with what I've got.

For another enlightening post on "lights" go see Jim's review for today.

GamJams Reviews: Roadside Inflation - MSR Tire Inflation Kit

It was bound to happen. I knew it as soon as I saw the post about it. I tried my best to distance myself and pretend that I didn't know anything about it. I couldn't help but notice it's effects on our fellow riders. Alas, I couldn't escape the jinx.

Saturday on my first good long road ride in a long while I double/triple/quadruple flatted if you will. Thanks Mike and Bryan! I guess I can now fess up to my roadside tire inflation techniques (and short comings) since I've already paid the price (knock knock knock).

Basically Jim's got it right. I use the basic mirco-flate screw on CO2 inflation chuck. Turns out, it's even better then I before realized since you can actually save a CO2 cartridge to reinflate a slow leak tire multiple times during a long ride... I got a full fill plus at least 3 top offs during my ride out of each cartridge. Ride/Life saver considering I couldn't get a pick up savior on the phone yesterday.

On the other hand I now see the genious in Jim's plan to also carry a frame pump for a ride. Eventually, even when you're carrying three CO2 cartridges, knowing full well you've been jinxed despite your best efforts of avoidance, and two tubes you will run out of air if you've got a slow leak on a 70 miler. Ah well. For what it's worth though, screw on CO2 is by far worth the marginal extra cost in my book. Those guns for the non-screw on type wouldn't really fit in my seat pouch anyway.

GamJams Reviews: Sunglasses - Tifosi Whatevers

Decent glasses off of Chainlove with interchangeable lenses. Bought them cause they were cheap, had the interchangeable lenses and the description says they're for small/medium faces. Winner. Turns out they're about right in general but at the temples they're a bit wide still so they stick out and still make me look like a bug. Whatever.

One pair came with clear lenses while the other didn't, disappointing for mountain biking, though the amber lenses are good to a point. The frames are pretty cheap which in reality is good since I loose my glasses easily but the paint is already chipping from the lens exchange a bit. The nose pieces are nice and very adjustable.



They fogged up during the humid and rainy climbing in the Smoky's this past weekend but for the most part they performed very well, shielding my eyes from the huge drops coming down and keeping my contacts from completely drying out as much as they generally do during fast decents.

Overall pretty good, wish they looked better on me so I could wear them outside of riding but not that big a deal. Cheap and easy sunglasses are the way to go for me.

Gam Jams Review - Pedals - Shimano SPD's and Speedplay X Series

I ride the shimano SPD pedals because they're cheap and I've got them. The set up works fine for the most part in mud and I can walk in the mountain bike shoes with the cleats on them. Good enough for now, though I do plan to move over to Crank Brothers eventually. At that point I'll probably go with either the Candy SL and/or the basic egg beater for the light bikes. Curious to see what the platform-less pedal will feel like but from those I've talked to that ride them it shouldn't be an issue.

On the road it's been the Speedplay Chromoly pedals from the X series. Nothing special but they came highly recommended by mutliple teammates, they were relatively affordable and they've been pretty bomb proof to this point. I like the float they allow and feel like they provide a solid platform and connection to the pedal. A solid pedal for an affordable price. I see no need for upgrading though if I did Speedplay has got the goods.

Gam Jams Review - Shoes - Northwave and Pearl Izumi

This one will be a big deal. I'm sure that unlike floor pumps, everyone has an opinion on cycling shoes. I'm not terribly well versed in the options out there as I've only owned one pair or road shoes and two pairs of mountain bike shoes but for what it's worth here are my thoughts.

My road shoes are your very basic Northwave Vertigo's I got at Performance on sale for around $80. Price was key here as I knew next to nothing about cycling shoes in general much less road shoes. They were on the small side but with the thinner summer socks I wear they were just about right and down from something like $140 I figured I couldn't pass on the deal.

Been riding them now for I guess two and a half to three years. They're mostly fine though I believe the cleat may be in the wrong position on them since during longer rides my feet will begin to go numb. Part of this is likely also the smaller size of the shoe; not necessarily uncomfortably tight normally but after a couple of hours of jamming my foot down in them they don't feel great. Otherwise these shoes are pretty good as an entry level road shoe. Those problems (all more my fault then the shoe) aside they could be stiffer in the sole and I'd prefer the buckle clasp over the Velcro, but for the shoe I own that I got for a good deal... I won't complain much more.

My current mt shoes are Northwave Chameleon's with clasp. Much stiffer then anything I've used before with the upper strap clasp. Love these shoes, though they run a half size large so order down. $85 with shipping from BackCountryOutlet.com.

My previous pair that are now my commuters are 3+ year old Pearl Izumi Vegabonds. Probably cost $65 new from REI. Nothing special and certainly not nearly as stiff as the Northwaves but I found them extremely comfortable. So much so that I'd wear them out to bars with friends when I'd ride there and completely forget about them. I was also known to be still wearing them come lunch time after biking to work. After well over three years of use, mainy days of wet commuting, muddy dirty mountain bike rides and hours upon hours of regular use as shoes, these things are still holding together. The Velcro straps have worn down significantly are beginning to show signs of failure, but until that day comes these will remain my basic commuter shoes that I forget to change out of when I get to work.

GamJams Reviews: Floor Pumps - Park Tools PFP-3

I've got a Park PFP-3, basic floor pump. Nothing special and I've been less and less satisfied with it lately as it seems to leak more and more and take extra work to fill up my tires each time I use it. It's basic, somewhat flimsy feeling plastic design doesn't give any illusions of high quality either.


On the other hand, I own it... and it works. In no way does it's over-all cheapness deter my performance (so far) so I will not complain any more about it. It gets the job done for now. If something sturdier and with better seals becomes available at a fair price one of these days soon, a second pump would be nice since this one basically stays in my truck.

That's all I got.

GamJams Reviews: The Wheels I Want

I'm in a similar boat to Kyle in that probably the main set of wheels I wish I could get are a good set of deep dish time trial wheels. Something like a set of Zipp 404's or 808's (though I've never ridden either so I'd have to test them out beforehand to see which works best for me). They'd be specifically time trail/tri wheels.



On the other hand for the mountain bikes: I find the new Crank Brothers Cobalt wheels have to be one of the most amazing looking sets of wheels I have ever seen. From reviews I've read about them they are also an excellent cross country racing wheel. If only! Of course they'd never work with the lefty so they're pretty much out of the picture but still, they are amazing.

For the 29'er I've heard good things about the Mavic CrossMax 29'er wheel set. Not the greatest one out there but a very solid wheel set that would be a big step up from the laserdisc rims laced to no-name hubs that came with the Exile. On the other hand the Velocity Blunt rims laced to your basic deore hub would probably be a pretty affordable and considerable upgrade as well.


EDIT:

I wrote this post quickly this morning just so I'd have it up and wanted to add some things. (There is nothing more fun about day dreaming about bike porn). So, for the 29'er wheels, I like the Edge Composites as built up by Guitar Ted. This build for instance, at just over two grand but weighing in at under 1400 grams, the tubeless version along with DT 240 hubs is tight! Riding a set of 29'er wheels that are over 300 grams lighter then my current road wheels (basic shimano ultegra level rims and hubs) would be a whole new experience. They also look real nice...

GamJams Reviews: The Race Wheels I Have - Stock

Race wheels? How about wheels in general?

I haven't gotten past the point of being satiated with the bikes I have enough to justify buying new wheels for them. My wheels are stock/what came with the used bike I bought...

That means Shimano Ultegra wheels and hubs on the CAAD9 and and the generic hubs laced to WTB Laser Disc's on the Jamis 29'er. My cross bike has a set of Mavic CXP's which I really like for that application (ok those I bought specifically while building the bike). Finally the Scalpel runs the specialty lefty hub up front with a Hugi DT Swiss on the rear, both laced to Mavic XC rims. Probably my nicest wheel set though like I said; they came with the bike.

I have a hard time with something as major as new wheel purchases since there seems like there is so much else I could do with that much money. Someday I'll get there, I'm just not quite there yet.

GamJams Reviews: Saddles/Seatpost - Specialized Saddles

I've been slacking on the GamJams reviews lately but aside from the gloves a few weeks ago I've had little to say. No clue on bars and stem (I use what I've got) and chamois creme has yet to grace my dairy-aire. Today's review of saddles at last I've got.

While my variance in saddle usage is limited I've found ones that work and I'm very happy with. First for the road bike I've got the Specialized Toupe Gel saddle. Swapped out the stock saddle on the Cannondale right away for the Toupe and haven't turned back since. The Toupe has been plenty cushy for all my riding over the last two years including my higher mileage 1/2 IM training last year and along with a neoprene seat cover saw me through the handful of tri's including the 1/2 IM on the limited padding in the tri shorts.

The Specialized Toupe Gel - I ride the 143 if you care.

It also is a very minimalist saddle; very light and sleek looking to match the light and sleek aluminum CAAD9 with carbon trimmings. A cushy yet firm, all around great saddle. The only issue I've really had with the Toupewas when attempting to mount the saddle to an old seat post. I was unable to get the post hardware to fit into the slim area between the saddle and the rails. Not an issue on the newer posts, though the older and bulkier hardware just wasn't quite compatible.

For the mountain bike I tried to stay close to what worked for the road without going too minimalist. Specialized makes a full line of saddles and while I was test riding saddles for the road bike I'd tried one of the cushier road saddles. While it was super comfortable (at the time I believe I called it a Cadillac ride) I knew it was too much for my lightweight road bike. For the mountain rig however, it turned out to be just right.

The Avatar Profile Shot in action. A cushed up version of the Toupe in my eyes.

The Specialized Avatar Gel saddle provides just the cushion and support I need on the mountain bike and so far it's been sturdy enough to take the abuse I've doled out. From my Redline cross rig, to my Jamis Exile/Dragon and now on my Cannondale Scalpel this saddle just works. The good side, it's under $100 (in comparison to the $150 Toupe). On the other hand this saddle is perfect for all of those bikes so at some point I'll need to be picking up a few extras to throw back on the Jamis and the Redline.

Lastly, my fixed rolls in pure urban hipster, bike dork, I'm too cool for school style. Don't remember who makes it but it just plan fits!

Yes this saddle really is on my fixed gear...

How do you title a day?

Who knows, but I wanted to write anyway. My pictures do not match my words; just my day.

Today's Gamjams Review was for bar tape. I tend to buy whatever is available. I'm just not too specific about it. Maybe some are more comfortable then others but I find basic cork tape works just fine for me and doesn't get slippery on the hot and sweaty summer riding around the soggy DC Metro area.

Cassie must be one of the happiest (and happiest looking) dogs in the world!

Did the noon ride at Haines again today, this time with a much larger group of riders. I hadn't seen Chris G in a long time so we spent the majority of the ride sitting on the back just chatting. The pace was decent and I once again felt pretty good just sitting in. Also like yesterday I probably wouldn't have been able to do too much more, though after some vehicle issues and some fairly large seperations I was able to drill hard and long enough to bring myself back onto the back of the group. In the past I know I've struggled, maybe just mentally with the group seeming to be just barely out of reach.

She got a little play time in over at a park in Capital Hill today after work.

Now to one of the biggest issues with cycling and training. I STILL don't have enough gear for all this riding! Cold weather riding is especially bad; I have to wear so many layers that after a couple of rides I am out of clean riding clothes. Today I wore shorts under the fleece tights simply because I wanted to keep the tights relatively clean so I could get out again tomorrow. That's kind of gross considering I did the same thing yesterday and I tend to sweat pretty heavily no matter what.

Homer got some park time as well though the small children who he is a afraid of kept him on his leash at all times.

I think this method will work up to a point though at some time I'm going to need to think about getting another pair of fleece lined winter tights. The second under armour shirt helped a ton so if I can continually use the jacket over and over I'm probably golden. It's tough being a cycliste, there's always more stuff to NEED (want)...

GamJams Reviews: Hydration - Accelerade and Cytomax

I started drinking Accelerade about a year ago after receiving a deal through a group affiliation (prior to the GamJams sponsorship). I bought the fruit punch accelerade mix and a box of (strawberry?) gels and started using them heavily beginning in the spring season training for multisport events for the 08 season.

Previously I'd used Cytomax given to me by a teammate after he grew sick of the flavor and had occasionally used Gu during longer runs in my marathon training but my experience with sport nutrition products was (and still remains) fairly limited. That said, I did notice a few differences in using and also in researching sports nutrition that I've built my current nutrition strategy around.

First of all, what makes Accelerade what it is is their 4:1 carb to protein ratio. According to researchers and all that jazz this is beneficial since the one part protein helps accelerate the carb usage, or movement of carbs to the muscles for use. I personally like it because a 4:1 carb to protein ratio is the recommended post workout fuel in most sports nutrition literature I've read. Since I generally forget to or simply don't get to eating right after training a nutrition drink that provides these benefits during and directly after my workouts is a big plus.

As for Cytomax I really believe (based on my very unscientific personal experience "tests") the lactic acid buffer is the real deal. Not saying it does away with it but I feel like I can go noticeably harder for longer when using the stuff. That said I tend to stick with it more for my serious racing while I drink Accelerade for the protien benefits during most training workouts. The experts say to train with the nutrition you'll race with but I've tested out Cytomax and my stomach tends to be pretty strong in those regards so it works out for me.

In the taste category I'd say I'm fairly easy going. So long as it doesn't make me puke I'll probably drink it without any worries. Accelerade's Fruit Punch and Lemon Lime flavors and Cytomax's Cool Citrus and Tropical Fruit flavors all passed that test.

The fine powder of Accelerade.

Usage factors - this isn't something I'd normally feel the need to write about when it comes to something like sports drinks. In this case there are things to point about about both of these products. First, Accelerade comes in a very fine powder which is easy to get all over the place if you're not careful while pouring. Second, if added to a bottle before water is poured in it'll bubble up and half your bottle will be bubbles. Neither are bad per say, just somewhat annoying. I certainly wouldn't base any decision on these things.

With Cytomax the issue is a bit more serious but still minor. I tend to take it easy on my mixed drink consumption in training and so generally my drink powder last for a bit. With Cytomax this can be a bad thing. The powder will begin to crystalize in the jug relatively quickly making it a bit of pain to deal with. I'd guess it could causes structural changes to the product itself though that is strictly my unscientific guess and is not based on anything. So far I haven't had any major issues using the crystalized chunks of powder but scooping in the amount you want is certainly a hassle.

The crystalized dregs of Cytomax.

Follow up review on Castelli's Cardio Bib Tights

I mentioned these in my GamJams Review for winter tights a couple of weeks ago and said I'd post up some more once I'd worn them a few more times. I think I've now worn them enough to get a good feel for them and for the most part I'm pretty happy with their performance.

The tights are lined with a very nice and soft red fleece, my only fleece lined tights. They are moderately thick, mostly owing to the layer of fleece and the Large size fit me well. I generally wear a 31 or 32 inch waist and 32 inch inseam which will usually mean a Medium though for these the Large is the way to go.



The ankle cuff has the rubberized inner lining that keeps the legs of the tights down and your sock pulled up and a scorpion design one on the outside also in case you are layering or pull the socks over the outside. Of course there is also a sufficiently long ankle zip with reflective fabric over top for easy in and out and for visibility.



The chamois is pretty comfortable; comparable to what I have in the Pearl Izumi Attack bib shorts and Hincapie team shorts from my Racing Union team kit. I'm not sure I have the saddle time and experience to really be able to tell most chamois' apart though I'll say this one is no better and no worse then my other mid-level shorts. I find them perfectly fine.



My one and only complaint about these tights is in regards to the chest straps. I bought these because they were on Chainlove for pretty cheap and I really needed some riding tights (I was using my knickers for everything). The design it appears is to keep the straps off the nipples thereby eliminating any nipple chaffing. A good idea, except I have never had that problem with any of my bib straps. Instead these simply place unwanted pressure on my shoulders while leaning forward; nothing too serious but I'd imagine on longer rides fairly bothersome.

As for warmth these tights stack up wonderfully. I used them New Year's morning with the sub-freezing temps at the ride start and they were great. I never felt cold in them with just shorts underneath for some extra cover on the sensitive regions.

Overall I'd say these tights are great from the waist down. For the price I paid on Chainlove they are also very good all over though if you're not paying 60% off I'd avoid the style of straps offered on the Cardio Bib tights.

GamJams Reviews: Winter Tights - Under Armour Winter Gear and Castelli Cardio Bib Tights

This weeks GamJams review features winter riding tights. While I don't have a ton of experience with a lot of products I've got at least a couple of notable things to share. Be sure to check out the other reviews for more on GamJams.

Base layer - The all-arounder award goes to Under Armour! I know I know, it's grown to be a bit of a behemoth in the last few years but in all reality there is more to the company then their roided up footballin, pre-game pep talkin, "house protectin" commercials may lead you to believe. They make some really high quality stuff!

My high school football coaches who were all somewhat affiliated with the UMd program through which the brand was essentially introduced, gave us ordering information for this new brand of sporting goods. All very expensive but apparently some great stuff. I convinced my folks to buy me the winter gear tights and top; their heavy weight cold weather stuff. Truth be told I think we all liked the tight stuff cause it made you look bigger then baggy stuff, at least in the 16 year old high school football players' mind. (I tried to find the stuff I have but they have too many new fangled options for me to figure out these days!!! Men's Cold Gear UA Metal Mock!?!? You can see what I'm talking about there with the "built in" six-pack.)

Turns out the stuff was really awesome. Now close to 10 years later I'm still using the same two pieces as my core cold weather gear. It's versatile, I use it for running, biking, hiking/camping, outdoor cold weather sporting event spectatin' and anything else where some warm clothes are necessary. I've found that in windier conditions a basic cotton shirt over the top blocks the wind enough to keep me warm on long frigid (below freezing) runs. With the tights, basically I get a layer or two over the junk (a lesson from the longtime running Pops, a jock strap is perfect here) and my legs are good to go.

Basically, to sum it all up, the good stuff from UA, while expensive (I believe I paid around $60 per item) is completely worth the money. The number of times my stuff has been worn and washed would have completely destroyed any other garment but this stuff is tough. And, it just works.

Cycling tights: I picked up a pair of Castelli's Cardio Cycling Bib Tights off Chainlove for something like 60% off. Unbeatable in my opinion for the price. Fleece lined, and super nice and bib tights to boot. Unfortunately I've only had the opportunity to try them once so far so my report will stand as worth it for the low (relative) price though they were too warm for the 50 degree weather I wore them in. I'll try them out tomorrow (today, New Years day) if I make it out with Darren and will post an update on the sub-freezing performance of the tights. The chest straps are not the greatest but like I said, the deal was certainly worth it. Also, from my experience with another pair of Castelli shorts I sized up from my usual mediums to large and they fit perfectly.

FYI: New GamJams Reviews today: Trainers & Rollers

Just a note that today's GamJams Review is up for Trainers and Rollers. I've never been able to convince myself to drop that much cash on a personal torture machine (especially when there is so much other, better bike stuff I "need") so I'm unable to offer an opinion. It appears to me that aside from the folks that return more to my feelings on trainers the general idea is Cyclops' trainers are pretty great.

Lots of good reviews this week so go check them out at GamJams.net

GamJams Reviews: Winter Training Tires - Specialized Armadillo Tires

GamJams.net is taking up a new product review feature involving the ambassadors program. Mike announced it a bit back to the ambassadors and today is the first installment. I’ll take part in as many of these as I can, starting with today’s “winter training tire” review. If you like this feature, please make sure to drop Mike at GJ a note to let him know so he can decide whether it is worthwhile and so he can pitch it out to prospective GJ sponsors as he builds the network. Also, make sure you drop by the rest of the participating ambassador sites to see what they may have to say.

Specialized Armadillos



First off I’ve got to admit, I do not have these tires on my Cannondale; actually I’ve still got the Michelin Race Pro 3’s from the season on there. I have however been running the All Condition Armadillos on my Fixed Gear for the past two plus years. In that time I’ve had 1 flat, after about 2 years on the tires, which was actually due to an unavoidable puncture at the hands of some of the neighborhood trouble makers. The rear wheel, which is covered with skid marks (fixed gear) is worn through to the inner red surface and should have blown a solid year ago, but it still rolls along no problem. To me that’s a sign of a truly tough tire (and a truly cheap rider).

While they may not be the lightest or cheapest tire out on the market, I’ll swear by the armadillos for general riding/training miles for their durability, smoothness and traction. Like I said before the armadillos are tough, lasting two + years on my fixed gear through all riding conditions, a few car on bike incidents and more then their fair share of skid stops. The durability alone proves these tires capabilities to me as high mileage training tires beyond any doubt.

As for the issue of comfort, I’d once again rate the armadillos as champs. Riding the fixed gear can be a bit hard on the body, obviously since coasting is not an option. While on a freewheel you can stand and coast over tough and bumpy road conditions on a fixed gear you still have to pedal. While standing is an option it’s not always as physically easy (especially at higher speeds/cadences) or easy to remember throughout a ride. The armadillos don’t punish you over rough terrain and in my experience the tougher tires leave open the option of relatively lower tire pressure for added comfort. On the other hand, when run at high pressure you can really get these tires moving quickly and comfortably in group, or traffic settings.

My fixed gear is essentially my beater bike so when the weather turns bad the fixed gear gets the call to duty. With armadillos on it I’ve never felt sketched out by wet and oily road conditions. It sticks to the roads in tight corners and I’ve never felt like I was going to wash out on them. I think traction like this in a sketchy crit race corner like the Reston Town Center Crit would be very, very comforting.

While I’ve never tried the Elite or All Condition Elite tires, I’ve got a strong feeling they’d be just as solid. And, while the price tag on these seems fairly high, I think the 2+ year use you can expect should alleviate some of the sticker shock associated with them. As specific winter training tires I think you could really stretch your dollar on these for a few years (assuming you don’t “NEED” new gear every year). They won’t leave you stranded with a flat 40 miles from civilization on your long winter training rides and you can feel good rounding sharp bends on them in your Saturday morning “training”/ass handing rides with local hammers. If I manage to get my hands on the Elite tires, I’ll let you know for sure if I think they’d make good race tires though, for now I’d go ahead and bet that unless you’re racing for Michelin or Continental, they’d do the trick just fine.